Everyone loves a healthy, beautiful smile. But when it comes to oral hygiene, Americans don’t take it too seriously. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about half of American Adults have gum disease and tooth decay. About one-fourth of Americans 65 or older have lost all of their teeth. In addition to the pain and discomfort dental diseases cause, they are also costly. Luckily, oral health problems like gum disease are preventable. Here are some actions you can take in between visits to your dentist in Malibu.
Brush Your Teeth
• While this tip seems obvious, you may be surprised to learn that only about 57% of women and 49% of men brush their teeth twice a day. What’s even more shocking is that many of the people who do brush their teeth twice a day may be brushing incorrectly. So when you reach for your toothbrush every morning when you wake up and every night before you go to bed remember these steps for proper brushing:
o Use a soft bristled brush.
o Your brush should be small enough to fit into your mouth and reach every tooth with ease.
o Hold your brush at a 45-degree angle in order to clean along the gum line.
o Don’t forget to reach the inner and chewing surfaces.
o Your tongue hosts bacteria, brush it to remove the bacteria and have fresh breath!
o Replace your brush every three to four months, depending on the condition of the bristles.
Don’t Skip Flossing
• Just like brushing, flossing is crucial to dental health but half of American adults skip flossing. Floss at least once a day to remove the plaque between your teeth. If plaque goes ignored, it can harden and turn into cavity-causing tartar, which can only be removed professionally.
Your Diet Matters
• A balanced diet to critical for a healthy body, but did you know that it is necessary for a healthy mouth as well? If your diet is lacking in vitamin-rich nutrients, your teeth will show it. Make sure to avoid foods that can damage your teeth like hard candy, crunchy chips, sticky dried fruits, and citrus.
The benefits of good dental hygiene go beyond a beautiful smile: Your oral health affects your overall health, so a healthy smile is a healthy you. Make these tips your daily dental habits and visit your dentist in Malibu twice a year for check-ups and cleaning.
Dr. Khalepari, known affectionately by his patients as Dr. K, has had a lifelong fascination with the complex systems that make up the human body. Nowhere is the complexity of these systems more apparent than in the teeth, gums, jaw, and other structures that make up the human mouth. Dr. K began his journey at California State University, Northridge, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in 2000. Next, he attended Tufts University School of Dental Medicine where he graduated with his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree in 2004.
To this day, Dr. K continues to develop his knowledge base by attending continuing education trainings and seminars in areas of special interest, like CEREC restorations and cosmetic veneers. In fact, Dr. K’s extensive training and over 8 years of hands-on experience designing, fabricating, and placing one-day dental crowns, inlays, onlays, and veneers have merited statewide recognition as a CEREC expert.